System, method, and computer program for providing training for pain improvement

ABSTRACT

The inventive concept refers to a system, a method, and a computer program for providing training for pain improvement. According to an exemplary embodiment, a training providing method for pain improvement includes requesting, by a computer, a temperature providing device to provide a first temperature to a first body point, requesting, by the computer, the temperature providing device to provide a second temperature to a second body point, requesting a user to select a temperature matched with a specific condition among the first temperature and the second temperature, and calculating a correct answer rate after performing a trial of distinguishing between the first temperature and the second temperature by a predetermined number.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of International PatentApplication No. PCT/KR2018/007947, filed on Jul. 13, 2018 which is basedupon and claims the benefit of priority to Korean Patent Application No.10-2017-0089868 filed on Jul. 14, 2017. The disclosures of theabove-listed applications are hereby incorporated by reference herein intheir entirety.

BACKGROUND

Embodiments of the inventive concept described herein relate to asystem, a method, and a computer program for providing training for painimprovement, and more particularly, relate to a system, a method, and acomputer program for providing training for relieving or eliminatingchronic pain.

Pain stimulus is usually caused by partial damage to tissue adjacent toa specific nerve fiber. This is called acute pain. This change in tissuecauses chemicals for activating the nociceptive fibers in the skin to besecreted and to act at nerve endings; the chemicals includeneuropeptides, serotonin, histamine, and the like. The action potentialgenerated in the neurons by the combination of the chemicals isconnected to the spinal cord's dorsal horn and synapses in the spinalcord and stimulates the pain fibers to secrete glutamate and material P.Accordingly, information about pain may be transmitted to the brain'sthalamus.

However, even when there is no damage to body tissues and the stimulusof the normal threshold or more is not applied to the body tissues,there are patients (e.g., chronic pain patients, patients with complexpain syndrome, or the like) who have no stimulus or who feel pain evenat low stimulus due to brain abnormalities.

The medication treatment (the treatment with narcotic or nonnarcotics),acupuncture treatment, local electrical stimulation treatment, andsurgical treatment are used as the conventional method of treatingchronic pain. However, this treatment method has several side effectsfor patients. Accordingly, there is a need for the invention that treatschronic pain by training patient's brain without causing side effects inthe patient.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the inventive concept provide a system, a method, and acomputer program for providing training for the pain improvement thatrelieves or eliminates chronic pain by providing the patient with thetraining for distinguishing first temperature and second temperature,which are different each other, to increase pain threshold.

The technical problems to be solved by the present inventive concept arenot limited to the aforementioned problems, and any other technicalproblems not mentioned herein will be clearly understood from thefollowing description by those skilled in the art to which the inventiveconcept pertains.

According to an exemplary embodiment, a training providing method forpain improvement includes requesting, by a computer, a temperatureproviding device to provide a first temperature to a first body point,requesting, by the computer, the temperature providing device to providea second temperature to a second body point, requesting a user to selecta temperature matched with a specific condition among the firsttemperature and the second temperature, and calculating a correct answerrate after performing a trial of distinguishing between the firsttemperature and the second temperature by a predetermined number.

Furthermore, in another embodiment, when the correct answer rate is notgreater than a reference condition, the method further includesrepeatedly providing the training for distinguishing between the firsttemperature and the second temperature under the same condition.

Moreover, the method further includes adjusting the first temperatureand the second temperature based on the correct answer rate.

According to an exemplary embodiment, a training providing method forpain improvement includes requesting, by a computer, a temperatureproviding device to provide a first temperature to a first body point,requesting, by the computer, the temperature providing device to providea second temperature to a second body point, requesting a user to selecta temperature matched with a specific condition among the firsttemperature and the second temperature, and calculating a correct answerrate by performing pain improvement training. The pain improvementtraining is to perform the specific number of trials for distinguishingthe first temperature and the second temperature. The method furtherincludes calculating the correct answer rate and adjusting the firsttemperature and the second temperature based on the correct answer rate.

Also, in another embodiment, the method further includes making arequest for providing the first temperature and the second temperatureto the first body point and the second body point at the same time.

Furthermore, in another embodiment, the method further includes settingthe first body point and the second body point to the same body point tosequentially provide the first temperature and the second temperaturewhile changing an order of the first temperature and the secondtemperature for each training trial.

Moreover, in another embodiment, the first temperature is set to thesame temperature as an expected threshold temperature or a temperaturelower than the expected threshold temperature by a specific value, andthe second temperature is set to a temperature with a high referencetemperature interval from the first temperature.

Also, in another embodiment, the method further includes adjusting theexpected threshold temperature by a reference interval after performingtraining of the specific number and determining an evaluation thresholdtemperature based on the correct answer rate at each expected thresholdtemperature.

Furthermore, in another embodiment, the adjusting of the temperaturefurther includes adjusting the reference temperature interval based onthe expected threshold temperature.

Moreover, in another embodiment, the method further includes receivingbrain image data obtained by capturing the user's brain during thetraining trial and calculating the evaluation threshold temperaturethrough the analysis of the brain image data.

Also, in another embodiment, the method further includes setting, by thecomputer, reference image data. The reference image data is generated bythe computer or is generated by an external server, based on brain imagedata upon performing pain training of a normal person and is received.

Furthermore, in another embodiment, the temperature providing devicelinks with the computer through wired or wireless communication toreceive at least one of a first temperature value, a second temperaturevalue, an provision order of the first temperature and the secondtemperature, and the number of trials.

Moreover, in another embodiment, the temperature providing deviceincludes three or more temperature transmitters providing differenttemperatures; the adjusting of the temperature includes making, by thecomputer, a request for changing the first temperature transmitter orthe second temperature transmitter to a third temperature transmitterproviding a third temperature when a first temperature transmitterprovides the first temperature and a second temperature transmitterprovides the second temperature.

According to an exemplary embodiment, a training providing computerprogram for pain improvement is coupled to a computer being hardware toperform the above-described training providing method for painimprovement and is stored in media.

According to an exemplary embodiment, a training providing system forpain improvement includes a control device performing theabove-described training providing method for pain improvement and atemperature providing device configured to providing differenttemperatures simultaneously or continuously. The temperature providingdevice links with the control device through wired or wirelesscommunication so as to be controlled by the control device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The above and other objects and features will become apparent from thefollowing description with reference to the following figures, whereinlike reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the variousfigures unless otherwise specified, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a connection relationship diagram of a training providingsystem for pain improvement, according to an embodiment of the inventiveconcept;

FIGS. 2 to 3B illustrate exemplary view of a temperature providingdevice in a training providing system, according to embodiments of theinventive concept; and

FIGS. 4 to 8 are flowcharts of a training providing method for painimprovement, according to embodiments of the inventive concept.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the inventive concept will bedescribed in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Theabove and other aspects, features and advantages of the invention willbecome apparent from the following description of the followingembodiments given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.However, the inventive concept is not limited to the embodimentsdisclosed below, but may be implemented in various forms. Theembodiments of the inventive concept is provided to make the disclosureof the inventive concept complete and fully inform those skilled in theart to which the inventive concept pertains of the scope of theinventive concept. The same reference numerals denote the same elementsthroughout the specification.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientificterms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by thoseskilled in the art to which the inventive concept pertains. It will befurther understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly useddictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that isconsistent with their meaning in the context of the specification andrelevant art and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overlyformal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

The terms used herein are provided to describe the embodiments but notto limit the inventive concept. In the specification, the singular formsinclude plural forms unless particularly mentioned. The terms“comprises” and/or “comprising” used herein does not exclude presence oraddition of one or more other elements, in addition to theaforementioned elements.

A ‘computer’ includes all various devices capable of providing resultsto a user by performing arithmetic processing. For example, the computermay correspond to not only a desktop personal computer (PC) or anotebook but also a smart phone, a tablet PC, a cellular phone, apersonal communication service phone (PCS phone), a mobile terminal of asynchronous/asynchronous International Mobile Telecommunication-2000(IMT-2000), a palm PC, a personal digital assistant (PDA), and the like.Furthermore, the computer may correspond to a server that receives arequest from a client and then performs information processing.

In this specification, ‘pain improvement training’ refers to thetraining that increases the pain threshold for pain improvement. Forexample, the ‘pain improvement training’ refers to the training for thespecific number of trials to select a temperature (e.g., hightemperature or low temperature) that satisfies a specific conditionamong first and second temperatures different from each other.

In this specification, ‘expected threshold temperature’ refers to thetemperature estimated as the threshold temperature by the computer toset the first temperature or the second temperature.

In this specification, ‘evaluation threshold temperature’ refers to thetemperature determined as a user's actual pain threshold.

In this specification, ‘reference temperature interval’ refers to thevalue applied as the difference value between the first temperature andthe second temperature, as the temperature difference at which the useris capable of detecting the temperature difference.

Hereinafter, according to embodiments of the inventive concept, asystem, a method, and a computer program for providing training for painimprovement will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a connection relationship diagram of a training providingsystem for pain improvement, according to an embodiment of the inventiveconcept. Referring to FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of theinventive concept, the training providing system for pain improvementincludes a control device 100 and a temperature providing device 200.

The control device 100 is a device that provides a pain improvementtraining model. That is, the control device 100 sets the temperaturecondition, temperature provision order, or the like to the temperatureproviding device 200. The control device 100 may be a computer (e.g., asmartphone, or the like) in which a program providing a training methodfor pain improvement to be described later is installed and may be aseparately manufactured device that provides a training method for painimprovement to be described later. Accordingly, the control device 100may be referred to as a “computer”.

The temperature providing device 200 is a device that provides differenttemperatures simultaneously or continuously. The temperature providingdevice 200 communicates with the control device 100 by wire orwirelessly so as to be controlled by the control device 100. Forexample, the temperature providing device 200 communicates with thecontrol device 100 by wire or wirelessly, and thus at least one of thefirst temperature value and the second temperature value, the order ofproviding the first temperature and the second temperature, and thenumber of trials may be controlled. According to an embodiment, when thetemperature providing device 200 is made of a wearable device capable ofbeing worn on the body, the temperature providing device 200 may beconnected to the control device 100 (e.g., a mobile terminal such as asmartphone) through wireless communication (e.g., Bluetoothcommunication, or the like). As the temperature providing device 200 ismade of a wearable device, a patient may often perform training for painimprovement while easily wearing the temperature providing device 200.The temperature providing device 200 may include various devices capableof providing different temperatures to the body point under control ofthe control device 100.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the temperature providing device 200 mayinclude a temperature control module 220 capable of controllingtemperature. For example, the temperature control module 220 may be amodule for heating or cooling a fluid filled in a device. In this case,the temperature control module 220 may repeatedly provide the firsttemperature and the second temperature to the body point, by repeatedlyheating and cooling the fluid. Furthermore, the temperature providingdevice 200 may further include a plurality of temperature transmitters211 and 212, of which the temperature is controlled by the temperaturecontrol module 220; the temperature providing device 200 may contacteach of the plurality of temperature transmitters 211 and 212 to one ormore body points (e.g., a point on the skin), simultaneously orsequentially.

The temperature providing device 200 includes the first temperaturetransmitter 211 providing the first temperature and the secondtemperature transmitter 212 providing the second temperature, which aredisposed at different points (points corresponding to the first bodypoint and the second body point). The first temperature transmitter 211moves to the first body point at the time of providing the firsttemperature; the second temperature transmitter 212 moves to the secondbody point at the time of providing the second temperature.

As the modified example, as illustrated in FIG. 3A, the temperatureproviding device 200 may be manufactured in the form of a wearabledevice (i.e., a body-mounted device). For example, the temperatureproviding device 200 is made in the band type; the first temperaturetransmitter 211 is moved and positioned at the first point of the innersurface in contact with the first body point at the time of providingthe first temperature; the second temperature transmitter 212 is movedand positioned at the second point of the inner surface in contact withthe second body point at the time of providing the second temperature.

As another modified example, as illustrated in FIG. 3B, the temperatureproviding device 200 may have the form in which the plurality oftemperature transmitters 211, 212, and 213 are connected to one or moremotors (not illustrated). In this case, at least one of the plurality oftemperature transmitters 211, 212, and 213 may move to one or more bodypoints depending on the driving of the motor (e.g., rotational driving).

In the meantime, the plurality of temperature transmitters 211, 212, and213 may have various forms. For example, each of the plurality oftemperature transmitters 211, 212, and 213 may be a heat transfer plateof which the temperature is controlled by electricity and may be formedof a tube through which a fluid having a specific temperature flows.When the plurality of temperature transmitters 211, 212, and 213 areheat transfer plates, the temperature control module 220 may be a modulethat supplies power to generate heat to the plurality of temperaturetransmitters 211, 212, and 213.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a training providing method for painimprovement, according to an embodiment of the inventive concept. Asillustrated in FIG. 4, according to an embodiment, the trainingproviding method for pain improvement includes an operation S100 ofrequesting, by the control device 100, the temperature adjusting device200 to provide first temperature to the first body point; an operationS200 of requesting, by the control device 100, the temperature adjustingdevice 200 to provide second temperature to the second body point, anoperation S300 of requesting a user to select temperature matched with aspecific condition, among the first temperature and the secondtemperature, and an operation S400 (calculating a correct answer rate)of calculating a correct answer rate by performing pain improvementtraining.

Hereinafter, the operation S100 of requesting, by the control device100, the temperature adjusting device 200 to provide the firsttemperature to the first body point and the operation S200 ofrequesting, by the control device 100, the temperature adjusting device200 to provide the second temperature to the second body point will bedescribed. Various methods may be applied to the method in which thecontrol device 100 requests the temperature adjusting device 200 toprovide the first temperature and the second temperature.

According to an embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the control device100 requests the temperature adjusting device 200 to provide the firstand second temperatures to the first and second body points,simultaneously or sequentially. At this time, the first and second bodypoints are the body points (e.g., the first and second points of theskin) of a specific user (i.e., patient or trainee), for example, thefirst and second points of the skin.

For example, when the temperature adjusting device 200 is abracelet-type device in contact with the skin of a cuff, the firsttemperature transmitter 211 and the second temperature transmitter 212are placed to be opposite to each other at different points of the skinof the cuff and are simultaneously or sequentially in contact(positioned) with the first body point and the second body point toprovide the first temperature and the second temperature. In this case,the first temperature transmitter 211 may provide the first temperatureto the first body point; the second temperature transmitter 212 mayprovide the second temperature to the second body point.

Moreover, according to another embodiment, as illustrated in FIGS. 3Aand 3B, the control device 100 sets the first body point and the secondbody point to the same body point and repeatedly requests thetemperature providing device 200 to provide the first and secondtemperatures to the same body point by changing the order in which thefirst and second temperatures are provided for each training trial. Thatis, the control device 100 requests the temperature adjusting device 200to perform a plurality of trials performed while the temperatureadjusting device 200 changes the order of providing the firsttemperature transmitter 211 and the second temperature transmitter 212to the specified single body point.

Moreover, various methods may be applied to a method of setting thefirst temperature and the second temperature. According to anembodiment, the control device 100 determines the expected thresholdtemperature expected as the threshold, and sets the first and secondtemperatures based on the expected threshold temperature. As a specificexample, the control device 100 sets the first temperature to atemperature the same as the expected threshold temperature or lower thanthe expected threshold temperature by a specific value and sets thesecond temperature to a temperature higher than the first temperature bya reference temperature interval. At this time, the specific value forsetting the first temperature refers to a value for setting atemperature lower than the expected threshold temperature to the firsttemperature while the value approximates the expected thresholdtemperature, as a value less than the reference temperature interval.

Also, in another specific example, the control device sets the referencetemperature (i.e., the expected threshold temperature) to the firsttemperature, sets the second temperature to a plurality of temperatureshigher or lower than the first temperature, and requests the patient todetermine which stimulus is higher among the first temperature stimulusand the second temperature stimulus presented to the patient. The orderin which the first and second temperatures are presented may be a randomorder (i.e., the order in which the first and second temperatures arepresented in each training trial may not be determined). Furthermore,training difficulty may be increased by reducing the difference betweenthe first temperature and the second temperature.

Hereinafter, the operation S300 of requesting a user to selecttemperature matched with a specific condition, among the firsttemperature and the second temperature will be described. For example,the control device 100 may request the user to select high or lowtemperature between the first temperature and the second temperature. Inan embodiment, when the control device 100 provides the firsttemperature and the second temperature sequentially, the control device100 provides (e.g., guide a point in time when the first temperature andthe second temperature are provided through the method of providingvisual information on a screen or providing auditory information)identification information to the user at a point in time when the firsttemperature and the second temperature are provided, and receives theselection of options corresponding to a specific condition (e.g., ahigher one of high temperature or low temperature) from the user.

In another embodiment, when different temperatures (i.e., the firsttemperature and the second temperature) are provided to different bodypoints by the temperature providing device 200, the control device 100receives the selection of options corresponding to a specific condition(e.g., higher temperature or lower temperature among the twotemperatures) from the user based on the location. For example, in thecase of the temperature providing device 200 of the bracelet-typedevice, the first temperature transmitter 211 and the second temperaturetransmitter 212 are placed on the left and right sides of thebracelet-type device, respectively, and the control device 100 receivesthe left side or right side as a correct answer option from the user.

Hereinafter, the operation S400 (calculating a correct answer rate) ofcalculating a correct answer rate by performing pain improvementtraining will be described. At this time, the pain improvement trainingis to perform the specific number of trials for distinguishing the firsttemperature and the second temperature. The control device 100calculates the correct answer rate based on the correct answer enteredin a plurality of trials. The control device 100 determines whether theuser correctly distinguishes the first temperature and the secondtemperature, through the correct answer rate.

In addition, in another embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 5, when thecorrect answer rate is not greater than the reference condition, thecontrol device 100 further includes an operation S500 of repeatedlyproviding the training for distinguishing between the first temperatureand the second temperature under the same condition. When the correctanswer rate is not greater than the reference condition, it isdetermined that the user does not properly distinguish between the firsttemperature and the second temperature. Accordingly, the control device100 may repeatedly perform the training by applying the same firsttemperature and the same second temperature as the previous training.

In this way, the pain threshold may be increased or a new sensorycognitive representation may be generated to distinguish between thefirst temperature and the second temperature in the user's brain. Thatis, as the training of distinguishing between the first temperature andthe second temperature is repeatedly provided, the threshold of pain maybe increased or the new sensory cognitive representation thatcompensates for pain perception nerve damage caused by brain damage maybe generated; thus, as the user does not recognize both the firsttemperature and the second temperature as the same pain, chronic painmay be reduced or treated by distinguishing between the firsttemperature and second temperature (i.e., by increasing the painthreshold).

Furthermore, as illustrated in FIG. 6, in another embodiment, thecontrol device 100 further includes an operation S600 of adjusting thefirst temperature or the second temperature based on the correct answerrate. For example, the control device 100 increases the firsttemperature and the second temperature to increase the user's painthreshold. When the first temperature and the second temperature are setbased on the expected threshold temperature as the reference, thecontrol device 100 adjusts the expected threshold temperature based onthe correct answer rate. When the correct answer rate is high, thecontrol device 100 may increase the interval of temperature adjustment(e.g. increase the expected threshold temperature). As the user'sability to distinguish between the first temperature and the secondtemperature is not improved when the training is performed by providingthe first temperature and the second temperature higher than the user'scurrent pain threshold, the user's threshold increase effect may be low,and thus the temperature adjustment is performed by reflecting thecorrect answer rate when the previous training is performed.

Moreover, an operation S600 of adjusting temperature includes adjustinga reference temperature interval based on the expected thresholdtemperature. The difficulty of training provided to the patient may beadjusted by adjusting the reference temperature interval correspondingto the difference between the first temperature and the secondtemperature. For example, the training of distinguishing relativelygreat temperature difference may be provided patients with severechronic pain by increasing the reference temperature interval; thetraining with the high difficulty of temperature discrimination may beprovided to patients with mild chronic pain by decreasing the referencetemperature interval.

The method in which the control device 100 requests the temperatureadjusting device 200 to adjust the temperature value corresponding tothe first temperature or the second temperature may vary depending onthe type of the temperature adjusting device 200. For example, thetemperature adjusting device 200 includes three or more temperaturetransmitters 211, 212, and 213 providing different temperatures; thefirst temperature transmitter 211 provides the first temperature; thetemperature transmitter 212 provides the second temperature; the thirdtemperature transmitter 210 provides the third temperature; in thiscase, in the operation S600 of adjusting temperature, the control device100 make a request for changing the first temperature transmitter 211 orthe second temperature transmitter 212 to the third temperaturetransmitter 213.

Also, as illustrated in FIG. 7, in another embodiment, in the case ofsetting the first temperature and the second temperature based on theexpected threshold temperature, the method further includes an operationS700 of adjusting the expected threshold temperature by the referencetemperature interval after the specific number of training is performedand an operation S800 of determining the evaluation thresholdtemperature based on the correct answer rate at each expected thresholdtemperature. The control device 100 calculates the evaluation thresholdtemperature corresponding to the user's actual pain threshold, based onthe result of performing the training on several expected thresholdtemperatures.

In S700, the control device 100 repeats a procedure of performing thetraining based on the first temperature and the second temperature thatare on the basis of the specific expected threshold temperature andcalculating the correct answer rate at each training while the expectedthreshold temperature is increased by the reference temperatureinterval. As a result, the control device 100 obtains the correct answerrate for a plurality of expected threshold temperatures.

In S800, the control device 100 calculates the evaluation thresholdtemperature based on the correct answer rate for each expected thresholdtemperature. For example, the control device 100 generates theevaluation threshold temperature by generating the graph of a correctanswer rate change according to each expected threshold temperature.

Also, in another embodiment, the method may further include determiningthe second temperature or the expected threshold temperature forperforming the next training, using the correct answer rate for eachsecond temperature based on the expected threshold temperature. Forexample, the control device applies the correct answer rate values foreach second temperature presented in the training process to linear ornonlinear session analysis, calculates temperatures at each of which theexpected correct answer rate corresponds to 55%, 60%, 70%, 80%, or 90%,and set the calculated temperatures to the value of the secondtemperature to be used to perform the next training. The temperatureinterval between the plurality of second temperatures may have a logscale interval, and the interval may be adjusted depending on thecorrect answer rate of the training performance.

In addition, in another embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 8, the methodfurther includes an operation S1000 of receiving electroencephalography(EEG) data obtained by measuring the user's brain during the trainingtrial and an operation S1100 of calculating the evaluation thresholdtemperature through the EEG data analysis. In S1000, the control device100 obtains EEG data for the brain of the user (i.e., patient) by an EEGmeasurement device (not illustrated) (e.g., an EEG device). In S1100,the control device 100 calculates the evaluation threshold temperatureby determining whether the user's brain recognizes that the firsttemperature or the second temperature is the pain, through the EEG dataobtained at the same time as at a point in time when the firsttemperature and the second temperature are provided. The EEG measurementdevice may be a wearable device wearable on the user's head.

In particular, the control device 100 calculates the evaluationthreshold temperature through the pain induction potential in the EEGdata obtained by the EEG measurement device. When pain stimulus isrepeatedly provided to a person at a high frequency, EEG (i.e.,normal-state pain-induced potential; an EEG signal in response torepetitive pain stimulus) having the frequency of pain stimulus isinduced. For the purpose of calculating the pain threshold (i.e.evaluation threshold temperature), the control device 100 requests thetemperature providing device 200 to repeatedly provide pain pulses ofvarious frequencies while changing temperature, and observesnormal-state pain-induced potential using EEG. The control device 100finds the temperature at which the pain-induced potential well occurs inthe patient based on the magnitude of the pain-induced potentialobserved in normal persons depending on the intensity of the painstimulus to calculate the optimized evaluation threshold temperature.

Moreover, in another embodiment, the evaluation threshold temperaturemay be calculated through analyzing brain image data obtained throughmedical imaging device. That is, the control device 100 obtains brainimage data obtained by capturing the brain of a user (i.e., a patient)by an imaging device (not illustrated) (e.g., an MRI device). Forexample, the imaging device may correspond to a functional magneticresonance imaging (fMRI) device that measures the change in blood oxygenlevel of the active part of the brain of the subject during measurementof the visual perception level of the subject. The control device 100calculates the evaluation threshold temperature by determining whetherthe user's brain recognizes that the first temperature or the secondtemperature is the pain, through the brain image data captured at thesame time as at a point in time when the first temperature and thesecond temperature are provided. Furthermore, in another embodiment, themethod further includes setting, by the control device 100, referenceimage data. The reference image data is generated and received by thecontrol device 100 or an external server based on brain image data whilea normal person performs pain training.

The training method for pain improvement according to an embodiment ofthe inventive concept may be applied to a variety of users (i.e.,patients). Embodiments of the inventive concept may be applied tochronic pain patients, patients suffering from diseases (e.g., cancerpatients, diabetes patients, bone/joint disease patients), and the like.As the inventive concept is performed, users may obtain the effect ofalleviating or relieving pain.

As a specific example, it is possible to relieve paresthesia, muscleweakness, and loss of balance, which are caused by peripheral neuropathycaused by side effects of anticancer drugs in cancer patients.Furthermore, for example, it may be used to treat abnormalities andpain, which are caused by diabetic foot due to the complication ofdiabetes. In the case of diabetic foot, the dull sensation may becomesensitive by repeating the process of distinguishing temperature;accordingly, this may reduce the case wounds are severe or the footneeds to be cut because the patient won't be able to perceive the damagein the case where the foot is injured.

Also, it may restore general sensory nerves such as the senses of painand heat associated with pain. That is, because paresthesia or loss ofsensation (in particular, the loss of heat or pain) as one of the sideeffects of stroke is a great threat to survival, the temperaturediscrimination training may restore the sense of heat or pain.

As the training providing method according to embodiments of theinventive concept for pain improvement is performed, the pain may beimproved when pain occurs without specific trauma to the specific body.In particular, as the training of distinguishing different temperaturestimulus is performed repeatedly, it may reduce or treat chronic pain byincreasing the threshold lowered due to brain abnormalities. Moreover,when the body may not distinguish the harmful stimulus well becausebrain damage, such as stroke, damages the nerves that perceive pain, theprotective mechanism of the brain provides extreme pain signals even atthe low temperature. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce pain bydistinguishing non-hazardous stimulus by repeating the training thatdistinguishes the first and second temperatures to form new sensorycognitive representation of the first temperature and the secondtemperature.

The training providing method for pain improvement according to anembodiment of the inventive concept may be implemented by a program (oran application) and may be stored in a medium such that the program isexecuted in combination with the control device 100 being hardware.Hereinafter, the control device 100 is referred to as a “computer”.

The program may include a code encoded using a computer language such asC, C++, JAVA, a machine language, or the like, which a processor (CPU)of the computer 100 can read through the device interface of thecomputer 100, such that the computer 100 reads the program and performsthe methods implemented with the program. The code may include afunctional codes associated with the function that defines functionsnecessary to perform the methods, and may include a control codeassociated with an execution procedure necessary for the processor ofthe computer 100 to perform the functions in a predetermined procedure.Furthermore, the code may further include additional informationnecessary for the processor of the computer 100 to perform the functionsor a memory reference-related code associated with the location(address) of the internal or external memory of the computer 100, atwhich the media needs to be checked. Moreover, when the processor of thecomputer 100 needs to communicate with any other remote computer or anyother remote server to perform the functions, the code may furtherinclude a communication-related code associated with how to communicatewith any other remote computer or server using the communication moduleof the computer 100, what information or media should be transmitted orreceived during communication, or the like.

The stored media may mean the media that does not store data for a shortperiod of time such as a register, a cache, a memory, or the like butsemi-permanently stores to be read by the device. Specifically, forexample, the stored media include, but are not limited to, ROM, RAM,CD-ROM, magnetic tape, floppy disk, optical data storage device, and thelike. That is, the program may be stored in various recording media onvarious servers that the computer 100 can access, or various recordingmedia on the computer 100 of the user. In addition, the media may bedistributed to a computer system connected to a network, and the codereadable by the computer 100 may be stored in a distribution manner.

Although embodiments of the inventive concept have been described hereinwith reference to accompanying drawings, it should be understood bythose skilled in the art that the inventive concept may be embodied inother specific forms without departing from the spirit or essentialfeatures thereof. Therefore, the above-described embodiments areexemplary in all aspects, and should be construed not to be restrictive.

According to an embodiment of the inventive concept, it is possible torepeatedly provide different temperatures to a patient, using the factthat the senses of pain and heat are transmitted to a brain through thesame path, thereby relieving the pain by distinguishing between thesenses of pain and heat to eventually increase the patient's thresholdfor pain.

In particular, as the pain improvement training according to embodimentsof the inventive concept is provided to a patient (i.e., chronic painpatient) having pain due to abnormalities in the brain without tissuedamage, the threshold (i.e., pain threshold) that the patient's braindetermines as pain may be increased. In this way, the pain caused by thestimulation of low intensity may be relieved or eliminated.

While the inventive concept has been described with reference toexemplary embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the artthat various changes and modifications may be made without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the inventive concept. Therefore, it shouldbe understood that the above embodiments are not limiting, butillustrative.

What is claimed is:
 1. A training providing computing device for painimprovement, the device comprising: at least one processor; and at leastone memory communicatively connected to the at least one processor,wherein the at least one processor is configured to: request atemperature providing device to provide a first temperature to a firstbody point; request the temperature providing device to provide a secondtemperature to a second body point; request a user to select atemperature matched with a specific condition, among the firsttemperature and the second temperature; and calculate a correct answerrate after performing a trial of distinguishing between the firsttemperature and the second temperature by a predetermined number,wherein the control device is further configured to provideidentification information, which includes at least one of visualinformation on a screen and auditory information from a speaker, to theuser at a first point in time when the first temperature is provided andat a second point in time when the second temperature is provided, andwherein the at least one processor is further configured to adjust boththe first temperature and the second temperature by an interval valuebased on the correct answer rate.
 2. The device of claim 1, wherein theat least one processor is further configured to: when the correct answerrate is not greater than a reference condition, repeatedly provide atraining of distinguishing between the first temperature and the secondtemperature of the same condition.
 3. The device of claim 1, wherein theat least one processor is further configured to: make a request forproviding the second temperature to the second body point distinct fromthe first body point, at the same time as providing the firsttemperature to the first body point.
 4. The device of claim 1, whereinthe at least one processor is further configured to: set the first bodypoint and the second body point to the same body point to sequentiallyprovide the first temperature and the second temperature while changingan order of the first temperature and the second temperature for eachtraining trial.
 5. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least oneprocessor is further configured to set the first temperature to the sametemperature as an expected threshold temperature or a temperature lowerthan the expected threshold temperature by a first value, and set thesecond temperature to a temperature higher than the expected thresholdtemperature by a second value.
 6. The device of claim 5, wherein the atleast one processor is further configured to adjust the firsttemperature and the second temperature based on the correct answer rate,and adjust the second value based on the expected threshold temperature.7. A training providing system, the system comprising: a computingdevice of claim 1; and a temperature providing device configured toprovide different temperatures simultaneously or continuously, whereinthe temperature providing device links with the computing device throughwired or wireless communication so as to be controlled by the computingdevice.
 8. The training providing system of claim 7, wherein thetemperature providing device includes a first temperature transmitterconfigured to provide the first temperature and a second temperaturetransmitter configured to provide the second temperature, which isdifferent from the first temperature, the first body point and thesecond body point are the same point of a body of the user, the firsttemperature transmitter is configured to move along with a firstdiagonal direction from a bottom surface of a temperature controlmodule, to be positioned at the first body point at a time of providingthe first temperature and to be replaced with the second temperaturetransmitter at a time of providing the second temperature, and thesecond temperature transmitter is configured to move along with a seconddiagonal direction from the bottom surface of the temperature controlmodule, to be positioned at the first body point at the time ofproviding the second temperature and to be replaced with the firsttemperature transmitter at the time of providing the first temperature.9. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing atraining providing computer program for pain improvement, to be executedby a processor of a computer, the program including instructions forrequesting a temperature providing device to provide a first temperatureto a first body point; requesting the temperature providing device toprovide a second temperature to a second body point; providingidentification information, which includes at least one of visualinformation on a screen and auditory information from a speaker, to auser at a first point in time when the first temperature is provided andat a second point in time when the second temperature is provided;requesting the user to select a temperature matched with a specificcondition, among the first temperature and the second temperature;calculating a correct answer rate after performing a trial ofdistinguishing between the first temperature and the second temperatureby a predetermined number, providing identification information, whichincludes at least one of visual information on a screen and auditoryinformation from a speaker, to the user at a first point in time whenthe first temperature is provided and at a second point in time when thesecond temperature is provided; and adjusting both the first temperatureand the second temperature by an interval value based on the correctanswer rate.
 10. A training providing computing device for painimprovement, the device comprising: at least one processor; and at leastone memory communicatively connected to the at least one processor,wherein the at least one processor is configured to: request atemperature providing device to provide a first temperature to a firstbody point; request the temperature providing device to provide a secondtemperature to a second body point; request a user to select atemperature matched with a specific condition, among the firsttemperature and the second temperature; and calculate a correct answerrate after performing a trial of distinguishing between the firsttemperature and the second temperature by a predetermined number,wherein the control device is further configured to provideidentification information, which includes at least one of visualinformation on a screen and auditory information from a speaker, to theuser at a first point in time when the first temperature is provided andat a second point in time when the second temperature is provided,wherein the at least one processor is further configured to repeatedlyincrease or decrease the first temperature and the second temperaturewith an interval value after performing training of a specific number oftrials, and wherein the at least one processor is further configured todetermine whether a correct answer rate is greater than a thresholdvalue, and increase the interval value when it is determined that thecorrect answer rate is greater than the threshold value.